There are several causes for swollen ankles and painful feet. The most common cause would be standing up for too long during the day. Your blood has weight and whenever you stand up for long periods of time, all of the blood ends up in your feet causing the vessels to expand. Swelling can also be due to excessive salt intake. Salt causes water retention, and the most common place for water retention to occur is in the ankles and feet.
Swelling can be quite painful. The best way to deal with this is to eat food that is lower in sodium. If you cook at home, it is easier to maintain a diet lower in sodium. Certain medications can cause side effects such as swollen ankles and pain in the feet. If you are on medication, you should research the side effects.
There are more serious conditions that can cause swollen ankles and pain in the feet. One is high blood pressure. When a person has high blood pressure, they tend to have swelling at various parts of their body. High blood pressure can only be diagnosed by a doctor. Diabetes can cause swelling and pain, especially in the foot area. The feet of diabetic people often do not get as much blood circulating as a healthy individual.
Certain heart conditions involving edema can cause swelling and pain in the ankles and feet. Arthritis can cause inflammation and swelling in the area(s) it affects. All of these conditions must be diagnosed in a doctor's office. They are more likely to be the cause of your symptoms if you are over 40. If you are younger, it is most likely swelling from long periods of standing or an intake of too much salt. If the pain and swelling continues for more than a week, you should see a doctor.
Swelling can be quite painful. The best way to deal with this is to eat food that is lower in sodium. If you cook at home, it is easier to maintain a diet lower in sodium. Certain medications can cause side effects such as swollen ankles and pain in the feet. If you are on medication, you should research the side effects.
There are more serious conditions that can cause swollen ankles and pain in the feet. One is high blood pressure. When a person has high blood pressure, they tend to have swelling at various parts of their body. High blood pressure can only be diagnosed by a doctor. Diabetes can cause swelling and pain, especially in the foot area. The feet of diabetic people often do not get as much blood circulating as a healthy individual.
Certain heart conditions involving edema can cause swelling and pain in the ankles and feet. Arthritis can cause inflammation and swelling in the area(s) it affects. All of these conditions must be diagnosed in a doctor's office. They are more likely to be the cause of your symptoms if you are over 40. If you are younger, it is most likely swelling from long periods of standing or an intake of too much salt. If the pain and swelling continues for more than a week, you should see a doctor.
